Process monitoring device and process monitoring method in semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

ABSTRACT

Provide is a process monitoring device in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that can readily and reliably monitor the process in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The process monitoring device includes a storage unit that stores a normal state moving image data indicating a normal state of the process; an image capturing unit that captures an image of a state of the process to be monitored to acquire a moving image data; an abnormality level calculation unit configured to extract a feature amount for each frame of the moving image data and the normal state moving image data, and calculate an abnormality level based on the extracted feature amount; and a display unit that displays the abnormality level calculated by the abnormality level calculation unit in association with a frame position of the moving image data.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority from Japanese PatentApplication Nos. 2012-050379, filed on Mar. 7, 2012, and 2012-273207,filed on Dec. 14, 2012, with the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein in their entireties by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a process monitoring device of asemiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a process monitoring method ofthe semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and the semiconductormanufacturing apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus,there is known a technique in which various processes conducted in thesemiconductor manufacturing apparatus are monitored by capturing imagesof the processes from a monitor camera and the like. See, for example,Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-14849. In a case where an image of aprocess is captured by a monitor camera for monitoring the process, suchas for example, an application process of photoresist in an applicationapparatus in which the photoresist is applied on a semiconductor waferor a development process for the photoresist subjected to exposure in adevelopment apparatus, to monitor whether or not an event havingabnormality is occurred, when a specific event is monitored of which anormal state or an abnormal state can be clearly distinguished as in,for example, flowing down of liquid from a nozzle, it can beelectronically detected whether there is an abnormality or not.

However, with respect to a typical abnormality detection, a method hasbeen employed in which a moving image composed of captured processimages is stored as data, and after detection of an occurrence ofabnormality, a module of a process apparatus through which asemiconductor wafer where an abnormality is occurred has passed isinvestigated and an abnormality of the process is confirmed by anoperator with a visual inspection.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided aprocess monitoring device in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatuswhich monitors the state of the process of the semiconductormanufacturing apparatus which processes a substrate to be processed. Theprocess monitoring device in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatusincludes: a storage unit that stores a normal state moving image dataindicating a normal state of the process; an image capturing unit thatcaptures an image of a state of the process to be monitored to acquire amoving image data; an abnormality level calculation unit configured toextract feature amount for each frame of the moving image data acquiredby the image capturing unit and the normal state moving image data, andcalculate an abnormality level based on the extracted feature amount;and a display unit that displays the abnormality level calculated by theabnormality level calculation unit in association with a frame positionof the moving image data.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be inany way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments,and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and featureswill become apparent by reference to the drawings and the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the configuration of a process monitoringdevice of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the configuration of a semiconductormanufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of thesemiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a rear view illustrating the configuration of thesemiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating operations of a process of anembodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating operations of another process of theembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating operations of still another processof the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a view diagrammatically illustrating an example of a capturedimage.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are views diagrammatically illustrating, respectively,an example of a captured image.

FIG. 10 is a view diagrammatically illustrating an example of aresultant image of an abnormal level calculation.

FIG. 11 is a view diagrammatically illustrating an example of aresultant image of another abnormal level calculation.

FIG. 12 is a view diagrammatically illustrating an example of aresultant image of still another abnormal level calculation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawing, which form a part hereof. The illustrativeembodiments described in the detailed description, drawing, and claimsare not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, andother changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe subject matter presented here.

When an operator visually inspects the moving image captured by themonitor camera as described above, there are problems in that there is ahigh possibility of overlooking an abnormality event being occurred andended in a short period, and an experienced skill is needed formonitoring. Further, there is also a problem that if abnormality occursonce, it successively causes a defect to, for example, a semiconductorwafer, and the burdens on reworking becomes large. Further, there isalso a problem in that it is difficult to detect a predictive symptom ofan abnormality before the abnormality actually occurs.

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problemsand intends to provide a process monitoring device of a semiconductormanufacturing apparatus that can easily and reliably monitor the processof the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as compared to aconventional technique, a process monitoring method of a semiconductormanufacturing apparatus, and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provideda process monitoring device in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatuswhich monitors a state of the process in the semiconductor manufacturingapparatus which processes a substrate to be processed. The processmonitoring device in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes:a storage unit that stores a normal state moving image data indicating anormal state of the process; an image capturing unit that captures animage of a state of the process to be monitored to acquire an movingimage data; an abnormality level calculation unit configured to extractfeature amount for each frame of the moving image data acquired by theimage capturing unit and the normal state moving image data andcalculate an abnormality level based on the extracted feature amount;and a display unit that displays the abnormality level calculated by theabnormality level calculation unit in association with a frame positionof the moving image data.

In the process monitoring device, the display unit displays a change foreach frame of the moving image data of the abnormality level in a graphand designates a position on the graph to display the moving image datacorresponding to the designated position on the graph.

The process monitoring device further includes a threshold storing unitthat stores a threshold of the abnormality level, and a abnormalitydetermination unit that when comparing the threshold stored in thethreshold storing unit and the abnormality level calculated by theabnormality level calculation unit, if the calculated abnormality levelexceeds the threshold, issuing an abnormality occurrence alert.

In the process monitoring device, the abnormality level calculation unitcalculates the abnormality level from a ST-patch feature.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there isprovided a process monitoring method of a semiconductor manufacturingapparatus which processes a substrate to be processed. The processmonitoring method of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes:storing a normal state moving image data indicating a normal state ofthe process; capturing an image of state of the process to be monitoredand acquiring the moving image data; extracting feature amount for eachframe of the moving image data in normal state to calculate anabnormality level based on the extracted feature amount; and displayingthe abnormality level calculated by the abnormality level calculationunit in association with a frame position of the moving image data.

In the process monitoring method, the display unit displays a change foreach frame of the moving image data of the abnormality level in a graphand designates a position on the graph to display the moving image datacorresponding to the designated position on the graph.

The process monitoring method further includes storing a threshold ofthe abnormality level, and issuing an abnormality occurrence alert, whencomparing the threshold stored in the threshold storing unit and theabnormality level calculated by the abnormality level calculation unit,if the calculated abnormality level exceeds the threshold.

In the process monitoring method, the abnormality level calculation unitcalculates the abnormality level from a ST-patch feature.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provideda semiconductor manufacturing apparatus processing a substrate to beprocessed. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided with aprocess monitoring device in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus,the process monitoring device includes; a storage unit that stores anormal state moving image data indicating a normal state of the process;an image capturing unit that captures an image of state of the processto be monitored to acquire the moving image data; an abnormality levelcalculation unit configured to extract feature amount for each frame ofthe moving image data in normal state and calculate an abnormality levelbased on the extracted feature amount; and a display unit that displaysthe abnormality level calculated by the abnormality level calculationunit in association with a frame position of the moving image data.

According to a present disclosure, it is possible to provide a processmonitoring device of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that canmore easily and reliably monitor the process of the semiconductormanufacturing apparatus as compared to a conventional technique, aprocess monitoring method of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus,and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a processmonitoring device of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 1, areference numeral 100 denotes a process monitoring device of asemiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a reference numeral 110denotes a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which performs apredetermined processing on the substrate to be processed. Further, anexplanation of the embodiment of the present disclosure will be made byexemplifying a coating and development apparatus 110 which performs anapplication process of photoresist and a development process ofphotoresist on a semiconductor wafer as a substrate to be processed.

A process monitoring device 100 of the semiconductor manufacturingapparatus is provided with a moving image monitor camera 101 built incoating and development apparatus 110 and is disposed at a positionwhere an image of a process to be monitored can be captured. In thepresent embodiment, for example, moving image monitor camera 101 may bedisposed at a position where the image of a chemical liquid applicationunit of coating and development apparatus 110, that is, a chemicalliquid supply nozzle (e.g., developing liquid supply nozzle or resistsupply nozzle) of a spin coating apparatus or a semiconductor waferbeing rotated can be captured by photographing.

Further, process monitoring device 100 of the semiconductormanufacturing apparatus is provided with an image frame grabber unit102, an arithmetic processing unit 103 having a CPU and memory, a datastorage unit 104 including a hard disk and the like, a learningabnormality determination processing unit 105, a diagnosis resultdisplay unit 106, and an apparatus event issuing unit 107.

A moving image signal from moving image monitor camera 101 is input toarithmetic processing unit 103 as moving image data through image framegrabber unit 102. The moving image data input to arithmetic processingunit 103 is stored in data storage unit 104 as a moving image data.Further, the moving image signal input to arithmetic processing unit 103is subjected to an arithmetic processing and the moving image datasubjected to the arithmetic processing is input to learning abnormalitydetermination processing unit 105.

Subsequently, the configuration of coating and development apparatus 110will be described with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4. FIG. 2 is a planview, FIG. 3 is a front view and FIG. 4 is a rear view thereof. Coatingand development apparatus 110 includes a cassette station 111, aprocessing station 112 having a plurality of processing units, and aninterface station 113 installed adjacent to processing station 112transferring a semiconductor wafer W between processing station 112 andan exposure device 114.

A wafer cassette CR in which plural sheets of the semiconductor wafer Wto be processed in coating and development apparatus 110 areaccommodated horizontally is carried into cassette station 111 fromother system. Further, reversely, the wafer cassette CR in which thesemiconductor wafer W for which a resist processing is completed incoating and development apparatus 110 is accommodated is carried outfrom cassette station 111 to other system. Further, cassette station 111transports the semiconductor wafer W between the wafer cassette CR andprocessing station 112.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a cassette rack 120 extending along theX-direction is installed at an end portion (end portion in theY-direction of FIG. 2) of an entrance side of cassette station 111. Aplurality (e.g., five in FIG. 2) of positioning protrusions 120 a aredisposed in a single row along the X-direction on cassette rack 120, andthe wafer cassette CR is arranged to be disposed at a position ofpositioning protrudes 120 a in a state that the carrying-in andcarrying-out port of the wafer cassette CR is oriented toward processingstation 112.

A wafer transportation mechanism 121 is installed in cassette station111 to be located between cassette rack 120 and processing station 112.The wafer transportation mechanism 121 includes a pick 121 a fortransporting wafers and pick 121 a is movable in a cassette arrangementdirection (X-direction) as well as a semiconductor wafer W arrangementdirection (Z-direction) in the wafer cassette CR. Pick 121 a fortransporting wafer is also rotatable in the O-direction as representedin FIG. 2. Accordingly, pick 121 a for transporting wafer can access anywafer cassette CR, and a transition unit TRS-G₃ installed at a thirdprocessing unit group G₃ of processing station 112 to be describedbelow.

In processing station 112, a first processing unit group G1 and a secondprocessing unit group G2 are disposed sequentially from cassette station111 side, at the front side of a system. Further, a third processingunit group G₃, a fourth processing unit group G₄ and a fifth processingunit group G₅ are disposed sequentially from cassette station 111, atthe rear side of the system. Further, a first major transportation unitA₁ is disposed between the third processing unit group G₃ and the fourthprocessing unit group G₄, and a second major transportation unit A₂ isdisposed between the fourth processing unit group G₄ and a fifthprocessing unit group G₅. A sixth processing unit group G₆ is disposedat the rear side of first major transportation unit A₁ and a seventhprocessing unit group G₇ is disposed at the rear side of the secondmajor transportation unit A₂.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, in first processing unit group G₁, fivespinner type processing units, for example, three application units COTsand two coating units BARCs which form an antireflective film preventinglight from being reflected during exposure, are disposed to be stackedon each other in a total of five stages serving as liquid supply unitsthat perform a predetermined processing on a semiconductor wafer Wmounted on a spin chuck within a cup. Further, five spinner typeprocessing units, for example, five development units DEVs are disposedto be stacked on each other in five stages in the second processing unitgroup G₂. Moving image monitor camera 101 illustrated in FIG. 1 isdisposed in each of the application unit COT, coating unit BARC anddevelopment unit DEV, and processes of these units are monitored byprocess monitoring device 100 of the semiconductor manufacturingapparatus.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, in third processing unit group G3, atemperature adjustment unit TCP, a transition unit TRS-G3 which servesas a delivery unit of the semiconductor wafer W between cassette station111 and first major transportation unit A1, a spare space V in which adesired oven type processing unit and the like can be installed, threehigh accuracy temperature control units CPL-G₃, performing a heatingprocess on a semiconductor wafer W under a high accuracy temperaturecontrol and four high temperature thermal processing units BAKEs, aredisposed sequentially from the bottom to be stacked on each other in atotal of ten stages.

In fourth processing unit group G₄, a high accuracy temperature controlunit CPL-G₄, four prebake units PAB that perform a heating process on asemiconductor wafer W after having been subjected to a resistapplication, and five postbake units POST that perform a heating processon a semiconductor wafer W after having been subjected to a developmentprocess, are disposed sequentially from the bottom to be stacked on eachother in a total of ten stages.

In fifth processing unit group G5, four high accuracy temperaturecontrol units CPL-G₅, and six post exposure bake unit PEB that perform aheating process on a semiconductor wafer W subjected to an exposureprocess but not subjected to a development process, are disposedsequentially from the bottom to be stacked on each other in a total often stages.

All of the high temperature processing unit BAKE, the prebake unit PAB,the postbake unit POST, and the post exposure bake unit PEB installed atthe third to fifth processing unit groups G₃ to G₅ have, for example,the same structure and constitutes a heating processing unit. Further, alight irradiation mechanism which irradiates light (e.g., ultravioletray) on the semiconductor wafer W is installed at a heating unit EXB forexpanding swelling agent, in addition to a heating mechanism.

A number of stacked stages and a disposition of units of the third tofifth processing unit group G₃ to G₅ are not limited to those asillustrated, and can be arbitrarily set.

Two adhesion units ADs and two heating units HPs are disposedsequentially from the bottom to be stacked on each other in a total offour stages in the sixth processing unit group G₆.

A film thickness measurement device FTI which measures the thickness ofresist film and a perimeter exposure device WEE which selectivelyexposes only an edge portion of the semiconductor wafer W are disposedsequentially from the bottom to be stacked on each other in two stagesin the seventh processing unit group G₇.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a first major wafer transportation apparatusdevice 116 is installed in a first major transportation unit A₁ andfirst major wafer transportation apparatus device 116 is able toselectively access each of the units provided in first processing unitgroup G₁, third processing unit group G₃, fourth processing unit groupG₄ and sixth processing unit group G₆.

A second major wafer transportation apparatus device 117 is installed ina second major transportation unit A₂ and second major wafertransportation apparatus device 117 is able to selectively access eachof the units provided in second processing unit group G₂, fourthprocessing unit group G₄, fifth processing unit group G₅, and seventhprocessing unit group G₇.

Three arms for holding the semiconductor wafer W are disposed to bestacked in an up and down direction in first major wafer transportationapparatus device 116 and second major wafer transportation apparatusdevice 117. First and second major wafer transportation devices 116 and117 are configured such that the semiconductor wafer W is held by thearms to be transported in each of the X-direction, the Y-direction, theZ-direction and the O-direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a liquid temperature control pump 124 and aduct 128 are installed between first processing unit group G₁ andcassette station 111, and a liquid temperature control pump 125 and aduct 129 are installed between second processing unit group G₂ andinterface station 113. Liquid temperature control pumps 124 and 125serve to supply a predetermined processing liquid to first processingunit group G₁ and second processing unit group G₂, respectively.Further, ducts 128 and 129 serve to allow clean air from airconditioning equipment installed outside of coating and developmentapparatus 110 to be supplied into the respective processing unit groupsG₁ to G₅.

First processing unit group G1 to seventh processing unit group G₇ aredetachable for maintenance and a panel at the rear side of theprocessing station 112 is also detachable or can be opened and closed.Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, chemical units CHMs 126 and 127 whichsupply a predetermined processing liquid to first processing unit groupG1 and second processing unit group G₂, is installed below firstprocessing unit group G₁ and second processing unit group G₂.

Interface station 113 is configured by a first interface station 113 aat processing station 112 side and a second interface station 113 b atexposure device 114 side. A first wafer transporter 162 is disposed infirst interface station 113 a to face an opening of fifth processingunit group G₅, and a second wafer transporter 163 movable in theX-direction is disposed in second interface station 113 b.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, an eighth processing unit group G₈ configuredsuch that a buffer cassette OUTBR for carrying-out which temporarilyaccommodates the semiconductor wafer W carried out from exposure device114, a buffer cassette INBR for carrying-in which temporarilyaccommodates the semiconductor wafer W to be transported to exposuredevice 114, and a perimeter exposure device WEE, are disposedsequentially from the bottom to be stacked on each other, is disposed atthe rear side of first wafer transporter 162. Buffer cassette INBR forcarrying-in and buffer cassette OUTBR for carrying-out is adapted to beable to accommodate a plurality of sheets, for example 25 sheets, of thesemiconductor wafer W.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a ninth processing unit group G₉configured such that a high accuracy temperature control unit CPL-G₉formed of two stages and a transition unit TRS-G₉ are disposedsequentially from the bottom to be stacked on each other, is disposed atthe front side of first wafer transporter 162

As illustrated in FIG. 2, first wafer transporter 162 includes a fork162 a for delivering wafer, and fork 162 a is movable in theZ-direction, rotatable in the θ-direction, and can freely advance orretreat in the X-Y plane. Fork 162 a can selectively access each of theunits of fifth processing unit group G₅, eighth processing unit group G₉and ninth processing unit group G₉, and accordingly, can transport thesemiconductor wafer W between these units.

Second wafer transporter 163 also includes a fork 163 a for deliveringwafer, and fork 163 a is movable in the Z-direction, rotatable in theO-direction, and can freely advance or retreat in X-Y plane. Fork 163 acan selectively access the respective units of ninth processing unitgroup G9, an in-stage 114 a and out-stage 114 b of exposure device 114,and can transfer the semiconductor wafer W between these units.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a central control unit 119 which controlscoating and development apparatus 110 in its entirety is installed atthe lower part of cassette station 111. A portion other than movingimage monitor camera 101 of process monitoring device 100 of thesemiconductor manufacturing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 is disposedat central control unit 119.

With coating and development apparatus 110 configured as describedabove, resist application process and development process and the likefor the semiconductor wafer W are executed as follows.

First, a semiconductor wafer W before being subjected to a process istaken out one by one from the wafer cassette CR by a wafertransportation mechanism 121, and the semiconductor wafer W istransported to transition unit TRS-G₃ disposed at processing unit groupG₃ of processing station 112.

Subsequently, after performing a temperature adjustment process for thesemiconductor wafer W with temperature adjustment unit TCP, otherprocesses are performed including forming of antireflective film bycoating unit BARC included in first processing unit group G₁, a heatingprocess by heating unit HP, and a bake process by high temperaturethermal processing unit BAKE. An adhesion process may be performed by anadhesion unit AD prior to forming of antireflective film on thesemiconductor wafer W by coating unit BARC.

Subsequently, after performing a temperature adjustment for thesemiconductor wafer W with high accuracy temperature control unitCPL-G₄, the semiconductor wafer W is transported to a resist applicationunit COT included in first processing unit group G₁ and subjected to aresist liquid application process.

Subsequently, semiconductor wafer W is subjected to a prebake process byprebake unit PAB installed in fourth processing unit group G₄ and thenis subjected to a perimeter exposure process by perimeter exposuredevice WEE. Semiconductor wafer W is then subjected to a temperatureadjustment process by, for example, high accuracy temperature controlunit CPL-G₉. Thereafter, semiconductor wafer W is transported toexposure device 114 by second wafer transporter 163.

Semiconductor wafer W subjected to the exposure process by exposuredevice 114 is carried into transition unit TRS-G₉ by second wafertransporter 163. Thereafter, semiconductor wafer W is subjected to apostbake exposure process by post exposure bake unit PEB included infifth processing unit group G₅ and then a development process by adevelopment unit DEV included in second processing unit group G₂.Semiconductor wafer W is then subjected to a postbake process bypostbake unit POST and to a temperature adjustment process by highaccuracy temperature control unit CPL-G₃.

A resist patterning is performed according to the sequences as describedabove.

When a process monitoring is performed by process monitoring device 100of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1,prior to beginning the process monitoring, a moving image is captured ata time when a process for the semiconductor wafer is performed normallyby photographing from moving image monitor camera 101 in advance and thephotographed moving image data is stored in data storage unit 104 as anormal state moving image data. A collecting process of collecting thenormal state moving image data is needed to be performed for each moduleas well as each recipe, and further, since there is fluctuation offluid, the collecting process of collecting the normal state movingimage data is performed plural times (e.g., ten to twenty times) for asingle recipe.

When receiving and storing a moving image data, a preprocess isperformed as illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 5. That is, a frameimage is cut out first from the moving image (step 201). Subsequently, agray conversion process is performed which converts color into gray(step 202), and a noise removal is performed using, for example, amedian filter (step 203), and then a binarization is performed (step204).

Subsequently, a setting process of setting region of interest (ROI) isperformed to determine a range of the moving image to be monitored. Bydoing this, the pre-processing is ended. Here, an example of the ROIsetting is illustrated in FIG. 8. In the image illustrated in FIG. 8, anozzle ejecting chemical liquid, a semiconductor wafer being rotated anda portion of a cup surrounding the semiconductor wafer are captured byphotographing. Further, an element of which portion is illustrated in anupper part of FIG. 8 is a real nozzle, and an element illustrated in alower part of FIG. 8 is an image of the nozzle moving to the surface ofthe semiconductor wafer. In the same figure, the inner part of arectangle zone is ROI, and the interior of the ROI is divided into aplurality of meshes (4×5 in an example illustrated in FIG. 8). Asdescribed above, a location near the nozzle ejecting the chemical liquidand the surface of the semiconductor wafer being rotated are typicallyset as a desired ROI.

When the process to be monitored is captured by photographing to monitorwhether or not an abnormal event of the process is occurred, thepreprocess described above is performed, and a comparison process isperformed that compares the normal state moving image data stored indata storage unit 104 with the captured moving image data obtained byphotographing and subjected to the preprocess for each frame.

In the comparison of the normal state moving image data with thecaptured moving image data obtained by photographing, for example, thefeature amount is extracted by the space-time-patch (ST-patch) featureamount extraction, and the difference between feature amount vector ineach frame and feature amount vectors of corresponding frame in thenormal state moving image data is calculated as a norm or a scalaramount of distance. The scalar amount is treated quantitatively as anabnormality level.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the process when performing such afeature amount extraction. As illustrated in FIG. 6, in the featureamount extraction, a setting process of setting a patch size or a movinginterval within ROI is performed. This setting value is, for example,10×10 pixels (step 211).

Subsequently, six dimensional vector of dx², dx×dy, dx×dt, dt², dy×dt,dy² is calculated for each pixel in the patch (step 212).

Thereafter, sum (Σdx², Σdx×dy, Σdx×dt, Σdy², Σdy×dt, Σde) of eachelement in the vector for each pixel in the patch is computed (step213).

6× (the number of patches) dimensional vector resulted fromconcatenation of feature amount vector of each patch within ROI isgenerated (step 214).

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a process in which abnormalityrecognition is performed based on the feature amount vector generated asdescribed above. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a feature amount vector ineach frame and a norm of the feature amount vector of correspondingframe in a normal state moving image data are calculated first (step221). The calculated norm becomes a guideline indicating an abnormalitylevel.

Subsequently, the calculated result is displayed using, for example,time-series graph format on diagnosis result display unit 106illustrated in FIG. 1 by being associated with a position of frame ofthe moving image data obtained by photographing (step 222). Examples ofthese displayed results are illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

FIG. 9A illustrates an example of one frame of the captured moving imagein which an image around a nozzle which applies developing solution onthe semiconductor wafer is represented. In FIG. 9A, the inner part of arectangle zone is ROI, and the interior of the ROI is divided into aplurality of meshes (4×5 in an example illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B).Further, splash of rinsing liquid is generated in an area surroundedwith a circle depicted in FIG. 9A in the frame of captured moving image.The rinsing liquid splash refers to a phenomenon in which the ejectedchemical liquid is scattered beside the semiconductor wafer and becomesa large liquid droplet to strike the wall of the cup surrounding thesemiconductor wafer to be spattered and fallen on the semiconductorwafer, and is likely to destroy the resist pattern formed on thesemiconductor wafer.

The FIG. 9B illustrates the calculated norm of the feature amount vectorof a frame of the captured moving image and the calculated norm of thefeature amount vector of corresponding frame in the normal state movingimage data. The axis of ordinates represents a norm distance and theaxis of abscissas represents number of frame. In this case, an imagecorresponding to the moving image illustrated in FIG. 8 is acorresponding normal state moving image data. As illustrated in FIG. 9B,the norm distance is protruded in a frame where the rinsing liquidsplash is generated. Accordingly, it is possible to detect theoccurrence of an abnormal event.

In this case, the graph illustrated in FIG. 9B and a frame of a capturedmoving image illustrated in FIG. 9A are associated with each other, andthe frame of the captured moving image illustrated in FIG. 9A isdisplayed by designating (e.g., by clicking mouse) a peak position onthe graph illustrated in FIG. 9B. Therefore, it is possible to readilyrecognize whether or not an abnormal event is occurred by understandingthe graph illustrated in FIG. 9B. It is also possible to readilyidentify the frame of the captured moving image indicating that theabnormal event is occurred by designating (e.g., by clicking mouse) aposition where the abnormal event is occurred. By doing this, it ispossible to readily identify that the abnormal event is an occurrence ofrinsing liquid splash.

Further, abnormal events, such as for example, liquid dropletgeneration, surface fluctuation, and developing solution splash, inaddition to the rinsing liquid splash, are occurred in the developmentapparatus. The liquid droplet generation is an event that liquid ejectedfrom a nozzle forms a droplet and rolls on to the semiconductor wafer,and when the liquid droplet stays to adhere on the semiconductor wafer,a resist pattern formed in a development process is likely to breakdown. The surface fluctuation is a phenomenon in which liquid surface isswinging, for example, in a case where an amount of ejection from thenozzle is excessively large, and irregularities are likely to occur. Thedeveloping solution splash is a phenomenon in which, for example, anejection pressure from the nozzle is too high to cause the chemicalliquid to be splashed, and when the chemical liquid falls on to thesemiconductor wafer, a resist pattern formed on the semiconductor waferis likely to break down.

Further, in the present embodiment, a threshold value for an abnormalvalue is set in learning abnormality determination processing unit 105in advance. When a calculated value is compared with the threshold valuefor the abnormal value in learning abnormality determination processingunit 105, if the calculated value exceeds the threshold value for theabnormal value, apparatus event issuing unit 107 and learningabnormality determination processing unit 105 issue an alert message tothe purport that an abnormal event is occurred (step 223). By doingthis, a module of coating and development apparatus 110 in which anabnormal event is occurred is stopped to prevent semiconductor wafersfor which the processing state is bad from being manufactured in largequantities.

Further, learning abnormality determination processing unit 105calculates a feature amount vector of an abnormal frame (step 224) andregisters image of the abnormal frame and the feature amount vector in adatabase DB.

Further, after a sufficient amount of data for the abnormal event isregistered with the database DB, the database DB is retrieved to specifythe abnormal event from the calculated feature amount vector of theabnormal frame (step 225).

The graph of FIG. 10 illustrates a monitored result obtained when anormal process is performed by defining the axis of ordinates as adistance induced by norm and the axis of abscissas as the number offrame. In the meantime, FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate monitored resultsobtained in a case where the recipe is changed to cause the abnormalevent to be generated. The axis of ordinates is represented in alogarithmic scale, and when the abnormal event is occurred, it can befound out that abnormality level is changed entirely in one order ofmagnitude as compared to a normal process. Therefore, the thresholdvalue can be set to a value between a peak appeared in FIG. 10 and peaksappeared in FIGS. 11 and 12, to reliably detect occurrence of theabnormal event.

However, among the abnormal events, in addition to an event whichdirectly advances into a defective process to cause a productmanufactured by the process in which an abnormal event is occurred to bedefective, there is an abnormality predictive event which does not causea product manufactured by the process in which the abnormalitypredictive event is occurred to be defective. But when the process inwhich the abnormality predictive event is occurred continues as it is bythe semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, abnormality predictive eventmay soon become an abnormal event to cause a defective product to comeout.

In order to detect the abnormality predictive event to predict anabnormality prediction, a threshold value for determining abnormalitypredictive event is needed to be stored in an abnormality predictionregistration database in advance and the difference in occurrence of anormal event or abnormality predictive event when monitoring a movingimage based on the stored threshold can be determined.

Although, in the embodiment described above, an explanation is made formonitoring a case where liquid is supplied from a nozzle to thesemiconductor wafer by exemplifying coating and development apparatus110 which performs a process for the application process of photoresistand a development process of photoresist on a semiconductor wafer, thepresent disclosure may similarly be applied to monitoring anotherprocess performed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

For example, the present disclosure may similarly be applied to amonitoring process of monitoring a transporting system which transportsthe semiconductor wafer in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.For monitoring transport system, when a positional deviation of thesemiconductor wafer on the transport apparatus is monitored, if it isdetermined that an abnormality event is occurred, transportation of asemiconductor wafer is stopped and thus it is possible to prevent thesemiconductor wafer from being collided with a structure to break downin advance.

Further, a substrate to be processed is not limited to a semiconductorwafer, but the present disclosure may also applied to, for example,monitoring the process for a substrate for liquid crystal displaydevice, and a substrate for organic EL.

Further, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-describedembodiment, and various changes may be made thereto.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments ofthe present disclosure have been described herein for purposes ofillustration, and that various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intendedto be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A process monitoring device of a semiconductormanufacturing apparatus comprising: a storage unit that stores a normalstate moving image data indicating a normal state of a process performedon a substrate in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; an imagecapturing unit that captures an image of a state of the process to bemonitored to acquire a moving image data; an abnormality levelcalculation unit configured to extract a feature amount for each frameof the moving image data acquired by the image capturing unit and thenormal state moving image data, and calculate an abnormality level basedon the extracted feature amount; and a display unit that displays anabnormality level calculated by the abnormality level calculation unitin association with a frame position of the moving image data.
 2. Theprocess monitoring device in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatusof claim 1, wherein the display unit displays a change for each frame ofthe moving image data of the abnormality level in a graph and designatesa position on the graph to display the moving image data correspondingto the designated position on the graph.
 3. The process monitoringdevice in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of claim 2, furthercomprising: a threshold storing unit that stores a threshold value ofthe abnormality level; and an abnormality determination unit thatcompares the threshold value stored in the threshold storing unit withthe abnormality level calculated by the abnormality level calculationunit, and if the calculated abnormality level exceeds the thresholdvalue, issues an abnormality occurrence alert.
 4. The process monitoringdevice in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe abnormality level calculation unit calculates the abnormality levelfrom a ST-patch feature.
 5. A process monitoring method in asemiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: storing a normal statemoving image data in a storage unit indicating a normal state of aprocess performed on a substrate; capturing an image of a state of theprocess to be monitored to acquire an moving image data; extracting afeature amount for each frame of the moving image data acquired by theimage capturing unit and the normal state moving image data andcalculating an abnormality level based on the feature amount extractedat the extracting; and displaying an abnormality level calculated by theabnormality level calculation unit in association with a frame positionof the moving image data.
 6. The process monitoring method in thesemiconductor manufacturing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the displayunit displays a change for each frame of the moving image data of theabnormality level in a graph and designates a position on the graph todisplay the moving image data corresponding to the designated positionon the graph.
 7. The process monitoring method in the semiconductormanufacturing apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: storing athreshold value of the abnormality level; and issuing an abnormalityoccurrence alert when the calculated abnormality level exceeds thethreshold value after comparing the threshold value stored in thethreshold storing unit with the abnormality level calculated by theabnormality level calculation unit.
 8. The process monitoring method inthe semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of claim 5, wherein thecalculating calculates the abnormality level from a ST-patch feature. 9.A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including a process monitoringdevice comprising: a storage unit that stores a normal state movingimage data indicating a normal state of the process; an image capturingunit that captures an image of a state of a process to be monitored toacquire a moving image data; an abnormality level calculation unitconfigured to extract a feature amount for each frame of the movingimage data acquired by the image capturing unit and the normal statemoving image data, and calculate an abnormality level based on theextracted feature amount; and a display unit that displays theabnormality level calculated by the abnormality level calculation unitin association with a frame position of the moving image data.